Clutch-pedal-locking device



July 16,1929. T. MONDAY ,7

CLUTCH PEDAL LOCKING DEVICE Filed April 18, 1928 AfTo NEY- is operated first; and thirdly,

Patented July 16, 1929.

TOBE MONDAYQOF ST. IJOUIS, MISSOURI.

cLu'rcrr-rEpAL-LocxING DEVICE.

a ication fil da rn 18, 1923. Serial 370,972.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in clutch pedal lockboardas usual by the foot of the driver on the end plate 10 A againstthe tension of the retracting sprin ing devices for automobiles, the peculiari ties of which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The main object of my invention isto prevent the driver of an automobile from starting the car with the emergency or hand brake lever set in position forbrakes on and then running it with the brakes on, thereby causing unnecessary strain on the motor,- wearing out thebrake bands, and

.wasting gas; secondly, to lock positively the clutch pedal when the hand brake lever locking the hand brake lever by my device when the clutch pedal is operated first.

In the accompanying drawing on which likereference numerals indicate corresponding parts,

Fig. 1 represents a side view of an emergency or handbrake lever and a clutch pedal thereto Fig. 2, a plan view of the same; Fig. 3, a side view showing the operation with "my improvements applied of my device when the clutch pedal is op-.

erated before the hand brake lever; and

Fig. 4, showing a sharp elbow on the clutch pedal and w my cam cooperating with it.

In a prior application SerrNo. 263,424, filed Mar. 21, 1928, I have shown means for locking the gear shift lever by previous ly throwing the emergency lever. In the present application I illustrate means to prevent operation of the clutch pedal when the emergency brake lever is first operated. Other differing features of construction and operation will appearv later.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 designates a suitable form of emergency or hand brake lever pivotally fulcrumed at 2 and having at the lower end rod connections 3--3 to the rear wheel brakes (not shown). Similar rod connections. will connect the lever to the front wheel brakes when four-wheel brakes are used. For the sake of clearness the usual foot pedals other than the clutch pedal are not shown.

The clutch pedal 4 is pivoted at 5 to the clutchindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1,- and is bent to form a straight portion 6 adapted to fit under the foot-board 7 having its upper end beyond the elbow curved to prevent arc struck in an are 8 about its pivot as acenter, so as I to operate in an opening 9 of saidfootpressing downward 11. This elbow is usually quite round and 'to'adapt it to my pin 12, laterally or otherwise inserted in device I provide a the elbow. Then I locate a horizontal shaft 13 in afline 14 at'rightangles toa line 15 connecting said pivot 5 Wlth'Sflid pin (or other comparatively shalia'p corner on' the clutch pedal as shown in the pinfor sharp corner wil bear on a curved head 16 of acam 17 mounted on said shaft when rotated under the pin orcorner. This curved head is formedby an arcof a circle having its center coincident (or sub cated by an arrow, and the pin will bear perpendicularly on the cam head if .the driver tries to depress the clutch pedal. In other words, this pin-or its stopped by said cam head lower corner 18 of the cam turns past the in in the raised position of the lever as illustrated in Fig. 1'.

This rotary effected by operative connections to the hand brake lever'and said connectionspreferably consist of a crank arm- 19 depending from said shaft, having its lower end pivoted to one end equivalent-is: I whenever the a 4, so that turning movement of the camis' v of a push rod 20 theother end of which rod is f also pivoted to said hand brake lever below its fulcrum Pivot 2. The shaft issuitabtliy mounted in bearings 2l supported on a jacent parts oftheiframe or otherwise, so as to locate the shaft as above described. A

set screw 22 or other means fastens the head of said crank arm to the shaft so that the of the clutch. pedal norpin at the elbow lower corner'18of the mally clears said cam head as it is carried downward.

/ A lower edge 23 of the cam is formed by an from substantially the center of the pivot 5 of the clutch carried downward closely adjacent to this edge 23 when the clutch as indicated by dash lines the clutch pedal is in its tion-as shown by full lines Fig. 1,-an

backward movement of the hand brake lever Fig. 1. Butwhen pedal. The pin is normal raised posi- I pedal is depressed from its normal position in order to set the brakes, will operate said push rod and crank arm forward'as per arrows,-and turn the cam head downward under the pin and thus lock the clutch pedal in its raised position. Even a slight movement of the hand brake lever in setting the brakes slightly, will lock the clutch pedal in its raised position.

The clutch pedal can not be depressed from its normal position when the hand brake lever. is first operated and thereby locks theformei the car can not be moved from a stop, nor run with the brakes ever so slightly set before trying to depress the clutch pedal. Therefore, the brakes must first be. released in order to throw in the clutchbn starting; also, when the car is ru'nning, with the clutch pedal raised as usual,the brakes may be set to check the speed of the car, and thereupon will lock the, clu'tchpedal in raised position till the brakes are thrown off again.

previously stated above, with the brakes off, the cam. does not control the clutch pedal, which can be depressed freely;

yet when depressed even slightly, its pin (or sharp point) passes below the said corner 18 of the ca rn and downward adjacent to the saidlower edge 23 ,of .thecam. (Fig.

I Ifthe hand brake lever were rigidly connected to the cam, the side edge of the cam engaging the depressed pin (or sharp elbow) would. then prevent setting the brakes. I therefore provide a flexible connection for oneflof the members of the operative eonnec tions between the hand brake lever and the cam,preferabl v the cam,-by means of a coilyspring 24: (or similar means,) having one end fixed to the shaft and the other to .the cam, and tensioned normally to keep a shoulder 25 of the cam hub pressed against a stub 26 projecting from the shaft.-

This spring connection causes the cam to turn downward with the shaft, except when the lower side edge of the cam engages the elbow pin '(or sharp corner) as in Fig. 3; but if when so engaged, the brakes require to be set, the hand brake lever will still operateto set the brakes and also turn the shaft but not the cam, as indicated by an open space'27 between the cam hub shoulder and stub in the shaft (Fig. 3). Immediately on releasing the clutch pedal however the cam will turn downward under the tension of said spring 24, and lock the clutch pedal in raised position till the brakes are released. Thisspring connection might be applied to the crank arm or otherwise, instead of to the cam;

Thus it is, evident that my device does not prevent setting the brakes at any time; also, thatit locks the clutch pedal in raised posi tion whenever the brakes are set slightly, or as much as may be required.

I claim: v v

1. An automobile comprising a hand brake lever, a clutch pedal, a rotary shaft mounted adjacent to said pedal, a crank arm on said shaft, a rod connection between said crank arm and hand brake lever, and means carried by said shaft adapted to engage and lock said pedal in raised position by prior operation of said lever.

2. An automobile comprising a hand brake lever,- a clutch pedal having an elbow, a rotaryf shaft mounted in a line at right angles to a line from said elbow to its pivot, a cam mounted on said shaft and having a head adapted to engage and lock said pedal in raised position, and operative connections between said shaft and lever.

3. An automobile comprising a clutch pedal, a rotary pivoted cam mounted adjacent thereto having two bearing surfaces, one formed by an arc struck from the center of the cam pivot and the other formed by an arc struck from substantially the center of the pedal pivot,-and operative means for said shaft.

4. An automobile comprising a hand brake lever, a clutch pedal, operative connections between them adapted to lock the latter by prior operation of the former, and a flexible member interposed in said connections preventingv obstructing the operation of the hand brake lever when the clutch pedal is first operated.

5. An automobile comprising a hand brake lever, a clutch pedal having an elbow and a pin mounted in said elbow, a rotary cam having a head and lower edge adapted for bearing surfaces for said pin -said pin adapted to engage the head and lock the pedal in raised position and to engage said lower edge and prevent rotation of the oam,operative connections between said cam and hand brake lever, and a flexible member in said connections, substantially as and for the purpose described. 7 I a 6. An automobile comprising a hand brake leve1',;a clutch pedal, a rotary shaft, cam and crank members mounted thereon, operative connections betweensaid crank and hand brake lever,one of said members being loosely mounted on the shaft and having a shoulder adapted to engage a stub'on the shaft,and aspring normally acting to maintain engagement of stub and shoulder and forming a flexible connection, substantially as and for the purpose described.

Intestimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

TOBE, MONDAY. 

